Reds boss looking for Firmino to pull strings

Liverpoo l manager Jurgen Klopp admits Roberto Firmino is the player he needs to pull everything together.

The Brazil international has been well short of his best form this year and his goal in Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Leicester was only his sixth in the whole of 2020, while Klopp boasts the free-scoring trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota.

Though goals h av e never been the main statistic on which Firmino is judged, he has been struggling with his all-round game but Klopp has a long memory and even deeper faith in his go-to players.

Heading into tonight’s Champ ions League Group D encounter at home to Atalanta – in which victory will secure qualification with two matches to spare – Firmino has featured in all but one of Liverpool’s 53 European matches under Klopp.

And while Sunday’s goal was a huge boost, Klopp sees a bigger picture.

“Scoring was always important for Bobby but Bobby is a complete footballer,” he said.

“A football team is like an orchestra, you have different people for different instruments, and some of them are louder than others, but they are all important for the rhythm.

“Bobby plays like 12 instruments in our orchestra. He’s very important for our rhythm.

“We can play well without him as well, but I certainly want him on the pitch and if you look at the numbers, I like it a lot having him on the pitch.”

Liverpool will welcome back Mohamed Salah after he tested negative for Covid-19 following two positive son international duty with Egypt, while Naby Keita could miss out through injury.